NEW ORLEANS - The Baylor men's and women's cross country teams earned All-Academic honors from the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, USTFCCCA officials announced on Monday.

The award honors teams, which have succeeded both academically and athletically. To qualify as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country team, the team must have had a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or better and have started at least five runners at their respective NCAA regional championship.

The Baylor men posted a 3.45 team cumulative GPA in 2012 and eight athletes make the Academic All-Big 12 team. In competition, the Bears earned their highest finish at the Big 12 Championships since 2004 with a seventh-place showing. At the regional level, BU took 14th.

On the women's side, the Lady Bears had a cumulative 3.47 GPA. BU led the Big 12 with 14 selections to the league's academic squad. On the course, the women were eighth at the Big 12 Championships with sophomore Rachel Johnson garnering All-Big 12 recognition. To conclude the season, Baylor placed seventh at the NCAA South Central Regional.

Baylor is one of 145 men's teams to earn all-academic status by the USTFCCCA, while the women's program is one of 200 nationally to be honored. Baylor joins Kansas and Oklahoma State as the only Big 12 programs to have both the men's and women's squads recognized.

For updates on the Baylor cross country team, follow @BaylorTrack on Twitter.